Publisher's Synopsis
'Emotional labor'. The term might sound familiar - but what does it mean exactly? Initially used to describe the unacknowledged labour flight attendants did to make guests feel welcomed and safe - on top of their actual job description - the phrase has burst into the national lexicon in recent years. The examples, whispered among friends and posted online, are endless. A woman is tasked with organising family functions, even without volunteering. A stranger insists you 'smile more', even as you navigate a high stress environment or grating commute. Emotional labour is essential to our society and economy, but it's so often invisible. Many are asked to perform exhausting, draining work at no extra cost. In this journalistic deep dive, Rose Hackman traces the history of the term and exposes common manifestations of the phenomenon.
